Deaf teen’s play to be staged at National Theatre after winning playwriting competition

Deaf teenager Eloise Pennycott is to have a play performed in London’s Dorfman Theatre in July, after she was announced as the winner of the National Theatre’s ‘New Views’ playwrighting competition for young people.

Eloise, a Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) user from Essex, landed the top prize with her play Barrier(s), which will be performed in a mix of BSL and English with actors from the Deaf community.

Eloise, 17, said: “Barrier(s) is really a play that stemmed from what I have always wished I could see as a piece of theatre. Whilst it’s awesome and so exciting when I see D/deaf actors on stage, seeing Deaf culture is much rarer.

“It’s also still surprisingly rare to see a lesbian love story on stage, which is why I want to keep the characters’ relationship forefront, against everything in the background.”

The play tells the story of two women who fall in love, but face adversity with “hostility to sign language users” on the rise “throughout society”.

“Can the couple’s relationship transcend communication, social and political barriers,” a description reads.

Theatre director Denzel Westley-Sanderson, who was one of the judges for the competition, said he was “hooked from the very first page” of Barrier(s) when reading the script.

He said: “[It’s] such a clear, well thought out and important piece of writing – the characters were so well developed with many layers to them. A great piece of writing and storytelling.

“The plays this year were all so strong, such expressive and imaginative writing, it makes me so excited to be working in this industry knowing how much great talent is coming through!”

Eloise’s play came top out of 400 entries submitted from 99 secondary schools across the country.

The news comes just over a week after the National Theatre put out a casting call for actors from the Deaf community to be part of the new play.

Barrier(s) will play in the Dorfman Theatre on 6 and 7 July as part of the National Theatre’s New Views Festival, with tickets available online now.

Photo: National Theatre.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.

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Update – 06/06/22 – 17:15: In a statement to The Limping Chicken, Participation Manager Rosie Eggleston from the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) congratulated Eloise – a former member of the charity’s Young People’s Advisory Board, and said: “It’s great to see deaf young talent recognised in this way and it’s vitally important to see deaf role models and culture portrayed on stage and screen.

“We’re seeing more and more of this and hopefully the trend continues.

“This could also be an inspiration lots of other deaf young people aspiring to work in the creative arts, helping them to realise that there’s nothing stopping them from having successful careers in the industry.”